Electrical system for controlling boats or torpedoes.



J. M. SEYMOUR, 1n.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING BOATS OR TORPEOOES. APPLICATION FILEDAPR.26. 1911.

1 ,275,480. Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

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JAMES M. SEYMOUR, JR., OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING BOATS 0R TORPEDOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

Application filed April 26, 1917. Serial No. 164,605.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that 1, JAMES M. SEYMOUR, J r., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricalSystems for Controlling Boats or Torpcdoes; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exa'ct description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

The present invention relates generally, to a novel electrical systemfor controlling or steering from a distance a power driven boat, (whichmay be of either the surface or sub-surface type) or torpedo, and fordischarging or exploding at will an explosive charge carried by the boator torpedo.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a novel system andarrangement of electrical devices by means of which a boat of thesurface or submersible type or a torpedo may be controlled and steeredfrom a fixed shore point or from another vessel or boat, while thecontrolled boat or torpedo moves with the desired speed at a greatdistance away from the operator.

A further object of the said invention is to provide an electrical meanswhereby the same control wire, which is used for steering purposes, maybe utilized to transmit electrical energy for the purpose of explodingat will and from a distance a charge of powder or high explosive carriedby the said boat or torpedo.

Other objects of the present invention, not at this time moreparticularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the followingdetailed description of the same.

The novel arrangement of electrical apparatus and circuits combined andiconstructed in accordance with the principles of my present inventionis clearly illustrated in the diagrannnatic drawing accompanying thisspecification, and in connection with which corresponding parts aredenoted by similar characters of reference.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference character 1 indicates theshore or control-station switch, which comprises a double throw switchlever comprising the switch arms 2 and 2, to one pole 3 of which isconnected a light electric cable or conductor 4 which leads from theshore or control-station out to the boat or torpedo to be controlled andsteered by. the system, and the opposite pole 5 of said switch-lever isconnected by a suitable conductor 6 to ground. Upon one side of saidswitch 2 are the positive contacts 7 and 7', and upon the other side ofsaid switch 2 are the negative contacts 8 and 8. The reference character9 indicates a shore or control station battery, which is preferably madeup of a series of dry cells. or control station battery 9 is connectedby a suitable conductor 10 with the positive contact 7, while thecontact 7 is connected by a suitable conductor 11 with the negative poleof said battery 9. The negative pole of said shore or control stationbattery 9 is connected by a suitable conductor 12 with the negativecontact 8, while the contact 8' is connected by a suitable conductor 13with the positive pole of said battery 9.-

The said electric cable or conductor l leads to the boat or torpedo tobe controlled, and is connected with the electrical controllingapparatus carried by or located upon said boat or torpedo. Thisapparatus comprises a direct current galvanometer device 14 with thecoils of which the conductor at is connected, said coils of thegalvanometer device 14: being further connected with ground by theconductor 15, said ground being preferably provided by a metallic plateforming a part of the hull of the boat or torpedo to be controlled. SaidD. G. galvanometer device is provided with the usual oscillatable memberor needle 16, carrying on one side a contact 17, and on the oppositeside a contact 18. Located upon one side of said oscillatablc member orneedle 16, so as to be engaged by the contact 17, when said oscillatablemember or needle 16 is moved toward the same, is a receiving contact 19.The reference character 20 indicates the magnetic coil of a relay devicea, one pole of which is connected through the conductor 21 with abattery .22, preferably of the dry cell type, and the other pole ofwhich is connected to the conductor 23 with the receiving contact 19.The oscillatable member or needle 16 is connected back to the battery 22by means of the conductor 24. Located upon the opposite side of saidoscillatable member or needle 16, so as to be engaged by the contact 18,

The positive pole of said shore when said oscillata-ble member or needle16 is moved toward the same, is a receivmg contact 25. The referenceCharacter 26 indicates the magnetic coil of a relay device -c, one poleof which is connected through the conductor 27 with said battery 22, andthe other pole of which is connected through the conductor 28 with thereceiving relay a:, and the other pole of which is connected through theconductor 37 back to the battery 29. The reference character 38indicates the magnetic coil of a relay device (Z, one pole of which isconnected through the conductor 39 with a relay contact 40 of the relayand the other pole of. which is connected through the conductor 41 backto the battery. 29.

The reference character 42 indicates a storage battery. .The referencecharacter 43 indicates the rudder-post of a boat or torpedo, upon whichis mounted the rudder 44; 45 indicates the steering lever connected withsaid rudder-post, and connected with the free end of said steering-leverare oppositely extending solenoid armatures 46 and 47. The solenoidarmature 46 is operated by. and cooperates with a solenoid magnet 48,one pole of which is connected through the conductor 49. with. saidstorage battery 42, and the other pole of which is. connected throughthe conductor 50 with a relay con tact 51 of said relay -b. The circuitclosing armature 52 of said relay bis connected back to said storagebattery 42 through the conductor 53. The solenoid armature .47 isoperated by and cooperates with a solenoidv magnet 54, one pole of whichis. connected through the conductor 55 with said. storage battery 42,and the other pole of which is connected through the conductor 56 with arelay contact-57 of said relay 6Z. The circuit closing armature 58 ofsaid relay cZ is connected back to thestorage battery 42through theconductor 59.

Located on the boat or torpedo subject tothe electrical control system,and connected inf'linc of the control cable or conductor 4, preferablybetweensaid D. C. galvanometer l4 and the shore or control station, isan alternatingcurrent :galvanometer device 60. Said A, Q.galVanometer-SQ is provided with the usual oscillatable member or needle61, carrying on one side a contact 62. Located in position so asto beenga ed by said contact 62, when said oscillata le member or needle ismoved toward the same, is a receiving contact 63. The referencecharacter 64 indicates a battery, preferably of the dry cell type, whichis connected through the conductor 65 with one pole of a vibrator orinduction coil 66, the other pole of the latter being connected throughthe conductor: 67 with said oscillating mem-. ber or needle 61., Saidreceiving contact 63 isconnected through the conductor 68 back to thebattery. 64. Connected with the secondary circuit of said vibrator orinduction coil 66. bymeans of the circuit wire 69 is anelectricdetonating cap or fuse 7 O.

The reference. character 71 indicates a plungerpor other suitable highvoltage magneto. electric machine capable of producing a high tensionalternating current. This device islocated at the shore or controlstation end of the control cable or conductor 4, and isconnected withthe latter through the conductor 72 in the line of which is 1'0-cate'dfa cut-out. switch 73. The circuit of said magneto 71 is completedthroughthe conductor 74 to ground.

, In operating the above described electrical system for controlling aboat or torpedo from a distant point, such as a shore station orfollowing vessel, the control cable or conductor 4 iscoiled mainly in ahollow coil on the boat or torpedo so as to pay out there from and trailback to the control station asthe boat or torpedo proceeds under powerand at desired speed, it being also advisable to provide a smallercoilof said control cal-le or. conductor 4 at the station end thereof,so that as the control cable or conductor 4 is paid out from themoving-boat or tor pcdo, there will be no; pulling strain thereon, norwill the same be strained by t de rips or drifting. The said controlcable or conductor 4 is so. constructed with its insulation. that itsbulkiwill make practically the same specific gravity as water, so thatas the wire is paid out from the containing compartment on the boat ortorpedo, water may enter said compartment to replace it so that thebuoyancy of the boat or torpedo is not interfered with or altered.

To steer the boat or torpedo to starboard, the switch arms 2, and 2atthe' shore or control station 1 are thrown into. contact with thepositive poles 7 and 7 This connects the shore or station battery 9 withthe electrical apparatus on the boat or. torpedo, and passestherethrough, from said battery 9 a positive direct current. This directcurrent passes through the A. C. galvanometer 60 without effect upon thesame, since said galvanometer is wound to respond only to an,alternating current, andc is. therefore. at-

once passed to the D. C. galvanometer 14, the circuit being completedthrough the conductor 15 to ground, and from ground back through theconductor 6 to the switch-arm 2, contact 7 and conductor 11 to the shoreor station battery 9. The passage of this positive direct currentthrough the D. C. galvanonieter 14 causes the oscillating member orneedle 16 to oscillate in the direction of the receiving contact 19,with which the needle contact 17 is thereby engaged. Since the D. C.galvanometer 14 responds to a comparatively V delicate or weak currentonly, it is utilized merely as an operating circuit to step up strongercurrents through the operation of relays or circuit closers until thecircuit of a strong power current from the storage battery 42 is closedto the final steering mechanism. To this end when the D. G. galvanometer14 is operated by the positive current of said shore or station battery9 a second battery (22) circuit which includes the coil 20 of the relay-a is closed upon the contact of said needle contact 17 with thereceiving contact 19. The closing of this second battery circuitoperates the relay -a to throw the circuit closing armature 31 intocircuit closing engagement with the relay contact 36, which devices arelocated in a third and stronger battery (29) circuit which includes thecoil 34 of the relay b. Upon the closing of said third battery circuitthe said relay -b is operated to throw the circuit closing armature 52into circuit closing engagement with the relay contact 51, which devicesare located in the powerful storage battery circuit, which includes thesolenoid coil 48. The solenoid coil48, being thereupon energized, exertsits strong attractive force upon the solenoid armature 46, moving thesame into the coil, and thereby swinging the steering-lever 45 to throwthe rudder 44 in position to steer the boat or torpedo to starboard. y Ya To steer the boat or torpedo to port, the switch arms 2 and 2' at theshore or control station 1 are thrown into contactwith the the secondbattery (22) circuit through the coil 26 of the relay c, which, in turn,by operating the circuit closing armature 33 to engage the same with therelay contact 40, closes the third battery '(29) circuit 'through'thecoil 38 of the relayvd,- which, in turn, by operating the circuitclosing The solenoid coil 54 bein thereu on energized, eXertS its strongattraction force upon the solenoid armature 47', moving the same intothe coil, and thereby swinging the steering lever 45 in the oppositedirection to throw the rudder44 in position to steer the boator torpedoto port.

lVhen the boat or torpedo is running free and straight ahead, the shorestation switch stands at neutral so that neither solenoid is energized,consequently the rudder is balanced and free to assume its natural ornonefiectlve position.

"It will thus be apparent that the boat or torpedo may be controlled orsteered at will from a distant point such as a shore station orfollowing vessel, and that the controlling or steering of the same isreadily accomplished by means of a comparatively delicate or weakcurrent generated at the con trol station, and suflicient merely tooperate the sensitive response of a galvanometer control circuit closingelement, or, as it may be denominated a galvanometer relay, theoperation of which may be thus easily utilized to relay step up circuitsto finally place in operation the powerful working circuit of a storagebattery carried by the boat or torpedo; and, furthermore, since thenovel galvanometer relay element responds inopposite directions topositive or negative currents, the bositive current may be utilizedto'energize, through relays operating der in the opposite direction.

My novel electrical system of controlling and steering a boat ortorpedo, includes in addition, said above described electric detonatingmeans for discharging or firing at will an explosive charge carried bythe 0011- trolled boat or torpedo, which electric detonating means isoperated over the same control cable or conductor 4 from the shore orcontrol station. To operate the electric detonating means, the steeringswitch stands at neutral, and the switch 73 is closed, thus J connectingwith the circuit of the control cable or conductor 4 the magneto 7 1.hen ready to fire the explosive charge on the boat f or torpedo, theplunger of the magneto 71 is operated which produces a high voltage lalternating current. This alternating cur- ,rent is transinitted overthe cable or conductor 4:150 the A. O. galvanometer 60, the

same. passing back through the D, O.,gal

vanometer 1 4 (which is unaffected thereby,

since the same is wound to respond only to a direct current), thencethrough the conductor 15 to ground and from ground back to the magneto17 through .the conductor 75 This alternating current causes theoscillatable member needle 61 to oscillate and carry its contact 62 intocircuit closing. engagement with the receiving contact 63, thus closinga firing battery ('64:) circuit, which energizes a vibrator or inductioncoil 66,the secondary circuit of which operates a detonating cap TOjtoignite and thereuponexplode the said explosive charge carried by theboat ortorpedo. In this case it will be apparent that the control of theboat ortorpeto for directional movement may be secured by one characterof current, to wit, a direct current over the control cable orconductor, whereas the control of theiboat or torpedo for firingorexploding may be secured-over the same control cable or conductor byanother character of current, to wit, an alternating current. I desireto emphasize the fact that I consider'the above mentioned-resuits oroperation of my system of extreme importance, and that the same is dueto the novel employment in the circuit of the control cable or conductorof-the two galvanometer relay devices, one of which responds to adirect-current but is unaffected by an; alternating current, and theother of which re sponds to an alternating current but un- I affected bya direct current.

It' will 'be understood that some changes may be made in the generalarrangements and combinations of the various devices and circuits, aswell as in the detailsthereof, Without departing from the scope oftheinvention as described in the foregoing specification and defined inthe claims appended hereto. Hence, I do not limit my invention to theexact arrangements and combinations of the devices andcircuitshereina'bove described, nor do I confine'myself to theexact details ofthejs'aine as shown in the accompanying drawings.

1. An' electrical system for the purpose described comprising a groundedcontrol .circuit including a'source of direct current at the controlpoint, a control conductorleading out to the boat or torpedo, a controlswitch at the control point capable ofoperation to reverse the directionof said direct current through said control conductor, and agalvanometer relay deviceresponsive only to direct current'connected insaidcontrol circuit and mounted in'theboat ortorpedo;

a starboard power circuitfand aporflpower circuit, a storage battery onsaid'jbo'ator "torpedo for serving said power circuits; a starboard:steering solenoid insaid' starboard power circuit having its armature.operatively connected with the rudder mech anism of said boat or,torpedq; aport steerfluenced by: direct current in one direction;

portstep up relay controlled battery circuits for closing said portpower circuit, the same being operated by said galvanometer relay devicewhen influenced by direct current in the opposite direction ;':a sourceof alterating current at the control point, means .for connecting. saidsource. of alternating current in the control circuit; so as to send thesame-over said control conductor, agalvanometer relay device responsiveonly to alternating current connected in said control circuit andmounted inthe boat or "torpedo, and electrical detonating 'means the.c-ircuitzof which is closedby .said last mentioned galvanometer relaydevice when influenced by alternating current sent through said controlcircuit,

2.An electrical system for the purposes described comprising a controlconductor leading out to 1 a boat or torpedo, means at the control endof. said eontrol'conductor for sending selectively over the same to theboat or torpedo a comparatively weak positive or negative directcurrent, a direct cur- .rent' galvanometer connected with saidcontrol'conductor at its': boat 'ort'orpedo end, ltwo sets ofrelaycircuits, one of each set having circuit closing device s operatedby said direct. current galvanometer, one set ,of'relay' circuitsb'eingiclosed; by ,the influence of positive direct current. on saidgalvanometer', the other set'of relay circuits being closed 'byjthe'influence of negative di- F rectl current" on saidfgalvanometer, twopower circuits 'within, said torpedo, said power. circuits b ingrespectively closed by the operation of therespective sets of relaycircuits, magnetic steering'devices for oper- 'atingi the boat or'torpedorudder, the same being actuated" respectively through Said I[@GSP'QCtlVQlpOWQr circuits, meansat the control end cf said controlconductor for" sendd leadingfro m a controlsta'tion ollt to a boat" ortorpedo, an alternating currentgalvanomr ter. and a 1 direct currentgalvanonieter f lo- 'cated onvsaid' boat or torpedo and". connected inseri'esintheline' of said "control conductor,

electrical steering apparatus, power circuits within said torpedo foroperating said electrical steering apparatus, circuit closing meansgoverning said power circuits operated by said direct currentgalvanometer, electrical detonating means Within said torpedo, a circuitfor operating said electrical detonating means, circuit closing meansgoverning said detonating circuit operated by said alternating currentgalvanometer, and selective means for sending direct current oralternating current over said control conductor.

4. Anelectrical system for the purposes described comprising a controlcircuit including a control conductor leading from a control station outto a boat or torpedo, a direct current galvanometer on said boat ortorpedo and connected in the line of said control conductor, starboardelectrical steering apparatus, port electrical steering apparatus, asource of power current, power circuits leading from said source to saidrespective steering apparatus, a set of step up relay circuits operatingin conjunction with one power circuit, a second set of step up relaycircuits operating in conjunction with the other power circuit, circuitclosing means operating one set of relay circuits or torpedo end,electrical detonating devices, A

a circuit for operating the same, circuit closing devices therefor, saidcircuit closing device being controlled by said alternating currentgalvanometer when the latter is in fluenced by an alternating current,and means at the station end of said control conductor for sending atwill over the same alternating current in place of direct current.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 24th day of April, 1917.

JAMES M. SEYMOUR, JR.

Witnesses:

GEORGE D. RICHARDS, FREDK H. W. FRAENTZEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

